Location
25 E 13th St, E304 (3rd floor)
Hours of Operation
Monday: |
12-6pm |
Tuesday: |
9am-6pm |
Wednesday: |
12-6pm |
Thursday: |
9am-5pm |
Friday: |
12-6pm |
October through December 2026
About
The Donghia healthier Materials Library at Parsons School of Design is a resource center dedicated to helping designers make responsible materials decisions. With curated product collections and frameworks for evaluating materials, we offer guiding strategies and hands-on examples of products making positive impacts on human health, environmental justice, and social equity.
To visit: please email MaterialLibrary@newschool.edu for an appointment, and scroll down to the "How to Visit" section for information on what to include in your email.
To learn more about the Library and how we curate our healthier materials collections, please watch this short video.
What makes a ‘healthier’ material?
At the Healthy Materials Lab, we see material health as a spectrum that reflects the complex realities of material ecosystems and supply chains. Our first question about any material is always: “What is it made of?”
Transparency is essential. Ingredient disclosure allows for rigorous evaluation against authoritative hazard lists and Red List chemicals. We take a holistic view of the impacts materials can have through sourcing, processing, use, disposal or reuse, and everyone affected along the way. These products may also demonstrate improved environmental performance, such as reduced embodied carbon, cleaner supply chains, or better indoor air quality.
In some product categories, harmful ingredients cannot yet be fully replaced, so “healthier” products may simply be the best available option. To qualify as healthier, a product must disclose at least 75% of its ingredients by weight and be screened for hazardous substances.
To help designers navigate these complex considerations, the Donghia healthier Materials Library collaborated with BrightWorks Sustainability to create the Material Health evaluation lens. This tool organizes hundreds of assessment factors into several main impact categories, providing a practical framework for understanding the broader impacts of material choices and supporting better decision-making.
Visit the Donghia healthier Materials Library!
Learn how to evaluate materials for health and sustainability impacts
Upcoming Events
See all upcoming eventsOur Samples
From materials for architecture to furniture to fashion, the Donghia healthier Materials Library offers a wide variety of innovative material samples for design. Some highlights include:
Biocement
Wheatboard
Denim Insulation
Recycled Cellulose
Chromium-free Leather
Linoleum
HempLime
Recycled Wallboard
Milk Paint
Interested in more material collections?
Past Events
How to Visit
New School Groups (more than 5 people)
Faculty, please email your visit request dates to MaterialLibrary@newschool.edu at least 2 weeks before your intended visit date.
External Visitors (individuals, firms, organizations, and other schools)
External visits are by appointment only on a case by case basis. Please email MaterialLibrary@newschool.edu at least 3 to 4 weeks before your intended visit date, and include:
- reason for your interest in visiting
- information about your connection to architecture + design, material collections, affordable housing, or manufacturing
- 3 date and time options.
Requests related to Healthier Materials for Affordable Housing are given priority. Our library scheduler will respond to all requests within 7 days.